Bowling aid or mit



June 12, 1962 w. BERGENDORF 3,038,723

BOWLING AID OR MIT Filed Nov. 2, 1961 I BY MAW ATTORNEYS 3,038,723 BOWLING AID R MIT Leonard W. Bergendorf, Pocatello, Idaho, assignor to Bowling Aids, Inc., a corporation of Colorado Filed Nov. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 149,613 4 Claims. (Cl.'273-54) This invention is a novel bowling aid or mit adapted to be first applied to the hand in the nature of a mit, and the hand then applied to the bowling ball with mit applied thereto and the bowling ball held by means of certain fingers engaging the thumb and finger holes ordinarily provided in the ball, so that the ball may be gripped in the ordinary manner during the act of bowling; the mit, however, having means thereon engaging the under or inner side of the thumb, middle finger and fourth finger which usually engage the thumb and finger holes in the ball to prevent wear and tear on the thumb and fingers, or thumb and finger tips.

The object of the invention is to provide a bowling aid or mit comprising a palm plate and an overlying bridge plate overlying the palm plate and engaging the back of the bowling hand, which overlying bridge plate carries a sponge rubber or other lining on its underside engaging the back of the hand over the palm plate, the bridge plate being rigidly secured to the palm plate by a web connecting the plates which is normally disposed between the middle finger and fourth finger when the bowling aid is applied to the hand, whereby when using my bowling aid applied to the hand and ball as above specified, the ball would be gripped in the ordinary manner, the thumb and fingers being free to engage the thumb and finger holes of the ball. However, when the ball is suspended from the hand using the thumb and finger holes in the usual manner the weight of the ball will be largely transferred from the thumb and finger tips which engage the holes in the ball, through the palm plate, the web and bridge plate to the back of the hand, thereby largely relieving the strain and wear and tear on the finger tips during long bowling periods, but when the ball is released from the hand during the act of bowling the bowling aid or mit will be retained on the hand of the bowler by the clamping action of the middle and.

fourth fingers on the web connecting the palm and bridge plates of the aid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling aid or mit in the form above specified in which the palm plate has secured thereto strips which conform with the inner faces of the thumb, middle finger and fourth finger of the bowling hand which usually engage the preformed holes in the ball, to prevent injury to the thumb, fingers or finger tips, thereby greatly relieving the wear and tear on the hand during long periods of bowling.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combination of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my bowling aid detached.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the bowling aid applied to the hand showing the position of the aid with respect to the palm of the hand.

FIG. 4 is a plan view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the parts of the aid in position when applied to the hand with respect to the back of the hand.

FIG. 5 is a view showing the bowling aid applied to States Patet the hand, and the hand applied to the usual or standard bowling ball.

As shown, my novel bowling aid is in the nature of a mit having a palm plate 1 of metal, plastic or other rigid material generally of modified rectangular shape adapted to conform roughly with the palm of the bowling hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the plate being of slightly arcuate or concave shape to conform to the natural curvature of the palm as the latter is applied to the bowling ball. Plate 1 is covered on its lower or outer face by a leather or other covering 2 coextensive with the area of plate 1; and also covered on its upper surface with a leather or other covering 3 also coextensive with the area of plate 1.

Above the palm plate 1 is a bridge plate 4 also of metal and of substantially rectangular shape adapted to overlie the back of the hand, as shown in FIG. 4, bridge plate 4 being covered on its upper surface with a leather or other covering 5, and on its lower surface covered with a relatively thick layer 6 of foam rubber padding or like material, said covering 6 being adapted to directly contact the back of the hand when the mit is applied to the hand as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The bridge plate 4 and palm plate 1 are rigidly con nected together by means of a web 7 which is intended to be inserted and gripped between the middle finger M and the fourth finger F of the bowler, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the mit is applied to the hand, whereby the bridge plate 4 is rigidly mounted on the palm plate 1 so that when the mit is applied to the hand the palm plate 1 will firmly contact the palm of the hand, and the padding 6 of the bridge plate 4 will firmly contact the back of the hand in order that when in use to transfer the weight usually applied on the finger and thumb tips during the act of bowling through the palm plate 1, web 7 and bridge plate 4, to the back of the bowlers hand, thus relieving the usual stresses on the finger or thumb tips ordinarily encountered during long periods of bowl mg.

In order to protect the inner faces of the thumb, middle finger and fourth finger from wear and tear, which fingers are usually inserted in the holes provided therefor in the bowling ball, I provide protective means on the mit adapted to overlie the said fingers. As shown, a leather or other strip 8 is provided projecting from the edge of plate 1 at the side thereof remote from web 7, said strip 8 having at its outer end a thumb encircling loop 9 adapted to engage the outer end portion of the thumb so that when the bowling aid is applied to the hand the leather strip 8 will lie along the inner face of the thumb T and will be retained on the thumb by insertion of the outer end of the thumb T into the loop 9, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

For protecting the middle finger M, a strip 10 (FIG. 1) of leather extends from the opposite edge of the plate 1 at one side of the web 7, the strip 10 having a loop 11 formed thereon secured to the inner end of strip 10 through which the middle finger is adapted to pass, a narrow strip 12 connecting the top of loop 11 with the outer end of the strip 10 and adapted, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, to pass around the outer end of middle finger M.

To protect the fourth finger F, a strip 13 similar to strip 10 is provided at the other side of web 7 having a loop 14, with a narrow strip 15 connecting the loop 14 and outer end of strip 13, all arranged and constructed in the same manner as the strips 10 and 12 and loop 11, for the middle finger M.

Thus, when the thumb, middle finger and fourth finger are inserted in the usual holes in the bowling ball the leather strips 8, 10 and 13 will enter with the fingers into the holes in the ball and prevent damage or wear and tear to the fingers or tips during long acts of bowling.

Thus I provide a bowling aid which is simple and efficient, and can be readily applied to the hand with the thumb inserted in the loop 9, the middle finger in loop 11, and the fourth finger in loop 14, and the mit maintained on the hand by engagement of the web 7 between the middle finger M and fourth finger F and further maintained by the pressure of the hand between the palm plate 1 and the bridge plate 4.

The hand may then be applied in the usual manner to a standard bowling ball and the thumb, middle finger and fourth finger inserted in the holes usually provided therefor in the ball, the strips 8, 10 and 13 protecting the inner faces 'of the thumb and fingers and their tips from damage, and when so applied to the ball the weight of the ball will be largely transferred from the thumb and finger tips during the act of bowling to the back of the hand through the instrumentalities of the plate 1, web 7 and bridge 4. After the ball is released, the mit will be retained on the hand in position for reuse on the next ball to be bowled.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling aid or mit for use With bowling balls having thumb and finger holes, comprising a rigid palm plate conforming with the palm of the bowlers hand; a rigid bridge plate overlying the palm plate for contacting the back of the bowlers hand; a web connecting the palm and bridge plates adapted to pass between the mid dle and fourth fingers of the bowlers hand; resilient padding covering the under surface of the bridge plate; and means carried by the palm plate for covering the hole engaging thumb and fingers of the bowler, whereby the weight of the bowling ball during the act of bowling will be largely relieved from the thumb and finger tips and transferred through said plates and web to the back of the bowlers hand.

2. In a unit as set forth in claim 1, protective coverings on the faces of the palm plate and on the outer face of the bridge plate.

3. In a unit as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising flexible strips extending from the palm plate covering the inner faces of the thumb and hole engaging fingers; and loops on said strips respectively for encircling said thumb and fingers, said strips continuing around the ends of said fingers and back along the outer faces of said fingers to an anchor point on the loops.

4. A bowling aid or mit for use with bowling balls having thumb and finger holes, comprising a rigid palm plate conforming with the palm of the bowlers hand; a rigid bridge plate overlying the palm plate for contacting the back of the bowlers hand; a web connecting the palm and bridge plates adapted to pass between the middle and fourth fingers of the bowlers hand; resilient padding covering the under surface of the bridge plate; protective coverings on the faces of the palm plate and on the outer face of the bridge plate; flexible strips extending from the palm plate covering the inner faces of the thumb and, hole engaging fingers; and loops on said strips respectively for encircling said thumb and fingers, said strips continuing around the ends of said fingers of the bowler and back along the outer faces of said fingers to an anchor point on the loops; whereby the weight of the bowling ball during the act of bowling will be largely relieved from the thumb and finger tips and transferred through said plates and web to the back of the bowlers hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,322,710 Eisendrath June 22, 1943 2,391,851 Willard Dec. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 423,364 Italy July 14, 1947 

